Tarp-et Field
The three hour, fifteen-minute duration of the game was just a quarter-hour less than the rain delay. David Ortiz tweeted during the delay, “Raining for 2 hours and no one will call the game.... Come on!!!!!”
Once a game starts it is the umpire-in-chief’s call when the game should recommence. According to Rule 3.10, “The umpire-in-chief shall at all times try to complete a game. His authority to resume play following one or more suspensions of as much as 30 minutes each shall be absolute and he shall terminate a game only when there appears to be no possibility of completing it.” Thus Jeff Kellogg ensured that this game would be completed, particularly because this was the last meeting of these two teams this season.
During the delay Boston fans got to watch the Bruins defeat the Rangers in the second game of the Eastern Conference semifinals with the improbable score of 5-2. Henrik Lundqvist hadn’t allowed five goals in a match since March 9, 2011. At Target Field what little remained of the crowd watched The Sandlot in celebration of the movie’s 20th anniversary. “You’re killin’ me, Smalls!”
John Lackey had a perfect game going until Trevor Plouffe’s leadoff double in the fifth. Were it not for the weather Lackey could have gone for a complete game one-hitter like Jon Lester’s against the Blue Jays.
Will Middlebrooks scored the first run of the game with a solo shot in the second inning, a circuit clout to the opposite field. About a feature film and a half later Dustin Pedroia lofted the ball to left field with Jonny Gomes on base. Josh Willingham leaped for the ball but couldn’t glove it. The ball bounced along the top of the padded wall and fell out of the park. The remaining fans cheered and jeered, Red Sox adherents gathered behind the visitors’ dugout and Twins devotees backing the home dugout.
The only disappointment to the day was that the Red Sox final score didn’t exactly match the Bruins’, at least to the OCD sports fan.
| Game 44: May 19, 2013 | ||
 Boston Red Sox27-17 |
5 | W: John Lackey (2-4) H: Andrew Miller (4), Koji Uehara (9) |
| HR: Will Middlebrooks (8), Dustin Pedroia (2) | ||
| Minnesota Twins 18-22 |
1 | L: Pedro Hernandez (2-1) |
| 2B: Trevor Plouffe (9), Wilkin Ramirez (3) | ||
